Raising the Stakes; Zelink Coffee Shop AU (The Legend Of Zelda)

Chapter Three

Hyrule Coffee.

My prospective home away from home. Much better than the 'home' I left.

I didn't care that I was forced out, I would have been happy to be away from there regardless of where I ended up... But Urbosa... she was so far away now.

I couldn't focus on that. I wasn't strong enough to focus on that.

I left the boxes untouched as I readied myself for my first day of writing in the new shop.

Getting straight to work was more important to me than organizing my rooms.

Leaving the apartment behind, I took about ten minutes to walk to the coffee shop.

The whole way I wondered what the atmosphere would be like. Would the coffee taste how I wanted? Would that attractive owner be a distraction?

...don't entertain that thought.

Would it be busy? Would my booth be taken?

Yet my fears were groundless, for when I got there I was surprised to see it empty yet again.

Did he ever have customers?

Wandering over to the far booth, I laid out my notebooks and pencils. Then I just stared at them, stuck between starting to write or going to ring the bell.

I broke quickly.

I need the coffee.

I walked over to the counter and rang the bell. I looked around as I waited. The shop looked different in the daylight; smaller, but still cozy.

"Just a minute," came a call from the curtained doorway.

I stood there, sort of patiently, until he appeared.

"Oh, it's you," he said as a greeting. "You going to buy something today?"

I had to hold back a laugh. His words were somewhat snippy, but the look on his face... Was he actually happy I had come back? You're imagining things, Zel. Goddess knows you have an overactive imagination.

"Of course," I replied with a roll of my eyes. "I'll have a tall americano with lots of ice."

His brows drew together. "That's it?"

"What?"

"No cream?" he asked. "No sugar?"

Oh sorry, was I supposed to order a frou-frou drink? Yes, I'll have the white chocolate mocha frappuccino with raspberry syrup drizzled over the whipped cream, and could you please put the syrup in the shape of a heart? "Is that a problem?" I asked with a smirk on my lips.

"No it isn't, sorry," he apologized with a smile. "I'm just not used to cute girls ordering something black," he said, then shut his eyes. "I mean-"

"Yeah, I get that a lot," I interrupted with a laugh. "Well, usually minus the compliment."

He put his hand to his face. "Ugh, whatever, it's true," he said and turned away to prepare the drink.

The smirk on my face didn't match the cute blush of my cheeks, but he was so adorable it didn't matter. He was wearing a green apron today with his shop's logo on it, and it suited him.

I shook myself out of my stupor when I realized, "Wait, I didn't pay you yet."

"Just pay at the end of the day," he replied, not turning to even glance at me.

Are his ears red? I can't quite tell. Dang, writing is going to be difficult if he's always like this. I shook myself out of my thoughts and walked purposefully back to the booth.

I sat down with my legs under me and stared down at the notebook. "Where should I start..." I mumbled to myself. "I got all out of sorts with the moving..." and now all I hear is his compliment. Shut up brain, you're supposed to be here to write, not freaking fall in love. You've literally met him twice, now focus on your life choice and write your stupid novel.

My eyes had pretty much glazed over as I talked to myself, so I didn't notice the owner walk over with my coffee.

"That looks cool," he said as he stood behind me.

"Hey!" I said as I snapped my gaze up to him. "Don't look without permission!"

"Sorry, I only saw the drawings," he said as he raised his hands up in surrender. One of them held my coffee.

I took it from him and took a huge swallow. Ah yessss, I thought as my brain activated upon contact with the bitter nectar. "I don't mean to snap," I apologized. "It's just that I'm still struggling with the idea of letting people in on something I've worked so hard on."

"I get it," he replied. "But do share if you feel like it. I don't get up to much after the morning crowd."

"Ahh, I was half wondering if you got any customers," I said with a chuckle.

"Of course I do," he replied as he rolled his eyes. "Just not very many weirdos that come in here during off hours."

I would have taken offense... but there wasn't much I could do to rebut his statement. "Ah well, be prepared for that to change."

He smirked, though it looked like he had tried not to. "Looking forward to it," he said, then hesitated. "Uh... What is your name, anyway?"

It was then I realized no introduction had been given, and embarrassment flooded my cheeks. "Zelda," I said, holding out my coffee free hand.

He didn't hesitate to shake with his left hand. "Link."

~*~

So that first day of writing was almost a total bomb. The coffee was incredible, but the owner of the shop was so distracting. I could barely focus. "This is baaadd," I said in a singsong voice as I tapped my pencil on the notebook.

If I kept a tally, it probably would have been thousands of times I had done that already today.

I'd been there for hours, and I even had lunch from the small, prepackaged selection.

"What was that?" Link asked as he looked up from his phone. He sat on one of the counters, leaning back against the wall.

I almost felt bad... Like my presence stopped him from doing whatever it was he usually did to pass the time.

"Nothing, I was talking to myself."

He chuckled. "Suit yourself."

Noooo, why are you so darn distracting?? Please go away.

"Uhm... You know you don't have to be out here," I said.

He tilted his head slightly. "Oh, really?" he replied. "Is that you telling me to go away?"

I reddened. "I just meant-" I stopped to narrow my eyes. He's messing with me. "Don't you have other things to do?"

"Maybe I do." He smirked. "But I decided to be out here today to keep my eye on you."

I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't quite sure if that was supposed to sound suspicious or... flirty...? Because his voice did not sound suspicious...

"A new person in my shop for hours? Gotta make sure you don't do anything."

"Like what, break your table with my writer rage?" I said.

"I don't know, like steal the espresso machine."

I snorted. "Dude, I walked here, it's like a mile to my apartment. I'm not going to steal anything."

"Reassuring," he finished with a roll of his eyes. "Don't you have writing to do?"

"...thank you for the reminder, you're such a help."